Split-foot stocking



y 1930- w. LENGEL SPLIT FOOT STOCKING Filed Dec. 27, 1926 ZUf/liam L. len e/ I IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNEYS Patented May 20, 1930 UNITED srArs WILLIAI L. LENGEL, OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR'TO TlIE LENGEL-FENGIL ram tics Y OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA, A CURPORATION OF PENNSYLVANM SPLIT-FOOT STOCKING Application Med December 27, 1926. Serial No. 157,360.

My invention relates particularly to the well known split-foot type of stockingsin which top and bottom areas are reciproca tively knitted with interlooped 'selvages or sutures at the sides and above the heel pocket.

The approximate {half-circle of needles whichare employed in the operation of forming'tlie heel pockety'are commonly employed also in knitting the split-foot sole and the '10 usual high-splice above the heel"; the continuousisuture lines being bent at the apex points of the heel pockets, and the structure there; being relatively weak andunsatisfactory. My invention provides for simplifying and effectively improving the construction both as to strength and appearance, as will be fully described in connection with the accompanying drawing illustrating an embodiment thereof: and the novel features being clearly defined in the subjoined claims.

l tubular Fig. 1 is adiagrammatic view of a portion of a tubular-knit stocking embodying my in-' vention: the additional shorterwales knitted,

in my improved construction, beyond the proved method of knitting.

Fig. 1 indicates mainly an ordinary splitfoot stocking as made on a circular series of needles indicated in Fig. 2; the tubular-leg portion 5 being knitted upon the full circle of needles with substantially the rear-half producingthe high-splice 6, and the heel pocket .7. The top and sole of the so-called splitfoot are not knitted round-and-round but are simultaneously knitted reciprocatively of two yarns as usual the split portion 8 of one yarn upon said rear-half of the needles, and the top portion 9 of the second yarn upon the front-half. with a suture 10 at.each side; and this split knitting is also employed in making the high-spliced portion of the leg, a

reinforced yarn being added in such high splice only and forming a selvage edge at the suture line with the front-half of the leg, in place ofthe usual high-splice float ends.

In resuming knitting upon all the needles, as at the line a-o, for the forming of the foot, it will be readily understood that side points of special strainand relative structural weakness naturallydevelop at the-angular junctions of the split high-splice and split-foot with each apex 15 of the heel pocket 7; and the object of. my invention is to satisfactorily eliminate such structural weakness vat these ,points; and at the same time improve the appearance of the product, by providing suture lines having curved portlons 10 spaced away from each apex point 15 of the heel pocket, with intervening rearhalf yarn wales 16 joining the high splice to the split-foot sole, as indicated.

As will clearly appear by reference to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, I efiectively accomplish this by raising certain of the needles of the front-half or instep portion ofthe v stocking to knit for determinedcourses with the yarn'of the rear-half or high-splice needles, so as to provide substantially isosceles triangular reinforced extensions composed of varying length additional rear-needle knitting wales 16 withtheir base lines spaced from the pointed heel pocket junctions 15 and their respective apexes corresponding with the latter; such waleslfi preferably starting at diflerent points in the lower part of the. high splice and terminating at difierent.

points in the rear-part of the sole as indicated, so'as to formsaid curvedportion 10 in i the suture line. 10.

In Fig. 2 w indicates monly employed in circular knitting machines; the half'circle w beingemployed as usual. in knitting the rear-half of the stockthe rear-half circle of needles and y the front-half circle as corning, the high-splice heel, heel and toe pockets,

and the bottom of the foot, and the half circle y the front-halfofthe leg, instep and top portion of the foot as usual. In the.construction shown however, I prefer to employ'onl part of the-needles a: in the'high-splice, hee pocket and foot-bottom portion of thestocking to produce reduced width therein as particularly popular in the trade, certain needles 2: and iv at each end of the half-circle bein adapted to ordinarily knit with the hal circle 3 during the reciprocative knitting operation except as modified, as hereinafter more fully explained to produce the curved 'suture line 10. I

The stocking thus produced is circularly knit of main yarn to the beginning of the high-splice; then reciprocativeknitting begins'with two main yarns, one for each halfmam series 0:, are manipulated to discontinue knitting of the yarn of needles y and engage and knit the yarn of needles in until all in and m are thus engaged at the beginning of the heel pocket or line ab of Fig. 1; thenall needles y. plus w and w are raised out of action andreciprocative knitting on the needles :22, less as :0 with gradual withdrawal and return of end needles produces the usual heel pocket, ending at the line aa,;.-Fig. 1;

then needles y, m and w are returned to knit-' ting,.:v' and w continuing knitting with the needles a: and reciprocative split-foot knitting continued with gradual withdrawal of end needles of a: and :22 adjacent needle series y from the half-circles backto half-circle 3 to complete curved suture line 10?; by formation of wales of different length ending in said suture line when all needles w and x are thus returned to action with needles 3/, the less than half-width split-foot bottom 8 and more than half-width top 9 of the stocking are produced by continued reciprocative split-foot knitting; prior to producing the usual toe pocket 11 needles :2: and as" may again be gradually returned to action with needles 0:, or preferably, as shown, a band of circular knitting 12 may be produced prior to knitting the toe pocket in well known manner.-

To manipulate. the needles in the production of a stocking as above described, I employ any well known type of circular machine adapted for split-foot knitting and divide the needles as usual in half-circle series, those marked m having short butts, and those marked 3 having long butts, their operation by the machine cams being as heretofore and requiring no further description. In Fig. 2, 19 represents the usual instep or dividing cam for separating? the two half-circle of needles, 20 represents usual knitting cams employed for circular knitting on all the needles, or reciprocative knitting on the neodles it; while 21 represents additional knitting cams thrown into action during reciprocative split-foot knitting and employed to actuate the needles 3 end needles of both series as and y alwaysengaging, as usual in split-foot knitting,'the yarn of both 1 halfcircle series so as to form a seamless tube. In order to ontrol the needles 0: and w in their special peration with either half-circle se ries a: or y, and to make such changes singly or in groups of each series :0 and 0: I preferabl control them as indicated in Fig. 2, b

jac s 25 and 26 and jack-actuating cams 27 and 28; said jacks, as shown, having butts of different length for each needle, or said butts being arranged in adjacent pairs or groups of different length but corresponding in each series or and w, and'said cams 27 and 28 hav- 20 pro uses the seamless fabric to the egin-- :ning of the high splice. At this point the needles are'divided and additional knitting cams21 and, aseparate yarn therefor in.- troduced for producing a seamless split-foot fabric by reciprocative knitting on .each halfcircle of needles with the end needles coop"- crating to unite said halves; the jack cams 27 and 28.al so acting to cause needles w and 0: to, be operated with needles y by knitting cams 21. At the beginning of the curved suture, line 10, the jack cams 27 and 28 are moved one step to actuate end needles or groups thereof 015w and :0 adjacent the main 1 group m so as to avoid action by knitting cams 21 and instead receive action with needle group w and its yarn by knitting cams 20;

further inward step movements of cams 27 and 28 bring into action of said cams 20 the other needles of a and :22 until all thereof are acting with needle group :12 and its yarn on cams 20, at which point the beginnin of the heel pocket is reached on line (l -b of Fig. 1. At this point all needles 3 and needles :0 and w are raised out ofaction by cams 19, 27 and 28 and remain so raised during the usual reciprocative knittin of the heel pocket by knitting cams 20. t the end of the heel pocket all needles y, m and w are restored to knitting by proper manipulation of cams 19, 27 and 28, and reciprocative tubular knitting resumed; jack cams 27 and 28 step-by-step,

reversing the movements of the needles w and m so as to gradually return them to action with needles 3 and cam 21, with which latter they remain during the entire remaining portion of the bottom foot portion of the stocking. Before the toe pocket portion is reached jack cams 27 and 28 may again gradually move needlesm' and m to action with needles in and knitting cams 20, but I prefer as shown, to discontinue reciprocative knitting near the toe pocket, withdraw additional cams 21 and resume circular knitting 011 all the needles to form the bandvl2 preliminary to forming the usual toe pocket.

The additional Wales 16 thus produced by the heavier reinforced high-splice and rein-- 5 forced foot yarns beyond the heel pocket junction 15 produces the curvedsuture line protecting the weak apex point of the heel pocket ordinarily found in stockings as com: monly made, and giving a pleasing curved 10 line, of junction at the point of the leg and footinstead of the heretofore angular connection.

What I claim is;:- a 1. The improved method of knitting high spliced split-foot stockings which consists in radually transferring end needles from the front split foot knitting action into the rear high splice knitting act-ion preliminary to starting the knitting action of the heel pocket; then knitting the heel pocket by narrowing and Widening reciprocative action upona portion ofthe needles less than the maxiinum then employed in the high splice; and then resuming split foot knitting on both front and rear needles, said rear starting with the maximum number of needles employed in the high splice and gradually transferring end needles to the front' half knitting action until the minimum number of needles employed in the high splice is reached, and continuing the bottom foot portion on said minimum number of needles.

' p 2. A high splice split-foot stocking having a narroWed-and-Widened heel pocket and a high splice heel and splitfoot sole corresponding in Width with said heel pocket, and additional reinforcing Wales of gradually varied length forming connecting triangular shaped reinforcements extending between 40 said high splice and split sole with their apexes corresponding with the apex points of the heel.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

WILLIAM L. LENGEL. 

